The Expanders

Hustling Culture

BY Ryan B. PatrickPublished Jun 12, 2015

5
The Expanders take it back on the '70s roots reggae tip for their third studio project, Hustling Culture. The Cali-based crew keep their reggae reverential, mining traditional chords and three-part harmonies along with songwriting cues gleaned from listening to iconic acts such as the Mighty Diamonds, the Ethiopians and the Gladiators.
 
Musically, the sound is generally on point but leaves little leeway for experimentation, cleaving too tightly to past reggae vibes. "Flesh and Bone," "The Horse" and "People Business" demand repeated plays, but overall the tracks bleed into each other. Hustling Culture is perfect for summer background music or a live performance, but leaves a bit to be desired outside of that context.
(Easy Star)

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